Events & AwardsApr 09, 2026
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Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup
The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Couture recently announced the timing and content for the education sessions at the 2026 show. It also has changed its annual opening night Party by the Pool to an event called Couture After Dark, which will take place at the Wynn’s Intrigue nightclub on Thursday, May 28.
New York—It’s almost time for the industry to head to the desert for Las Vegas Jewelry Market Week and Couture has announced its education sessions for this year.
CoutureTalks will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31 at The Wynn Las Vegas.
Kicking off the education sessions at the Convention Center Lounge on Friday, May 29, at 8 a.m. will be a panel talk titled “Decoding ‘Convergences’ in the Global Jewelry Market.”
Hosted by Trendvision founder Paola de Luca, the session will explore how spending is becoming more intentional and how jewelry increasingly operates at the intersection of emotional meaning and financial consideration.
Panelists include curator and journalist Archana Thani, designer Castro Smith, and Emily Wansbrough of Mytheresa.
At 3 p.m. on Friday, May 29, a live episode of the Couture podcast, titled “New Voices in Bridal,” will be recorded at the Convention Center Lounge.
The live episode, hosted by De Beers Group and moderated by Couture’s Michelle Orman, will feature insights from some of the most talked-about voices in contemporary bridal design, said Couture.
Speakers include De Beers’ Sally Morrison, Nicole Carosella of Sorellina, David Farrugia of Uniform Object, and Hiba Husayni of Zahn-Z.
On Saturday, May 30, at 8 a.m. Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Joy Kenewendo will join fifth-generation diamantaire and designer Jade Trau for “Fireside Chat: Discussion of Diamonds’ Impact on the People of Botswana.”
They will discuss the benefits the diamond trade provides to local communities and environments.
At 4 p.m. that day there will be a watch panel titled “The Risks and Rewards of Working with Timepiece Brands.”
It will be moderated by Ariel Adams of A Blog to Watch.
Stuller will close out CoutureTalks at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 31, at the Convention Center Lounge with “The Art of Custom: Bringing Exceptional Jewelry Visions to Life.”
In this last session Stuller will discuss the value of personalization in fine jewelry and bridal and share how production support can turn inspiration into beautifully realized pieces.
Related stories will be right here …
CoutureTalks will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31 at The Wynn Las Vegas.
Kicking off the education sessions at the Convention Center Lounge on Friday, May 29, at 8 a.m. will be a panel talk titled “Decoding ‘Convergences’ in the Global Jewelry Market.”
Hosted by Trendvision founder Paola de Luca, the session will explore how spending is becoming more intentional and how jewelry increasingly operates at the intersection of emotional meaning and financial consideration.
Panelists include curator and journalist Archana Thani, designer Castro Smith, and Emily Wansbrough of Mytheresa.
At 3 p.m. on Friday, May 29, a live episode of the Couture podcast, titled “New Voices in Bridal,” will be recorded at the Convention Center Lounge.
The live episode, hosted by De Beers Group and moderated by Couture’s Michelle Orman, will feature insights from some of the most talked-about voices in contemporary bridal design, said Couture.
Speakers include De Beers’ Sally Morrison, Nicole Carosella of Sorellina, David Farrugia of Uniform Object, and Hiba Husayni of Zahn-Z.
On Saturday, May 30, at 8 a.m. Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Joy Kenewendo will join fifth-generation diamantaire and designer Jade Trau for “Fireside Chat: Discussion of Diamonds’ Impact on the People of Botswana.”
They will discuss the benefits the diamond trade provides to local communities and environments.
At 4 p.m. that day there will be a watch panel titled “The Risks and Rewards of Working with Timepiece Brands.”
It will be moderated by Ariel Adams of A Blog to Watch.
Stuller will close out CoutureTalks at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 31, at the Convention Center Lounge with “The Art of Custom: Bringing Exceptional Jewelry Visions to Life.”
In this last session Stuller will discuss the value of personalization in fine jewelry and bridal and share how production support can turn inspiration into beautifully realized pieces.
Other events to note at Couture this year include the following.
— Couture’s traditional opening night Party at the Pool will not take place this year; instead, there will be a new event called Couture After Dark.
It will start at 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, at Wynn’s Intrigue nightclub and will include cocktails, desserts, and entertainment, including aura readings and a roaming magician.
— The Couture Design Awards, held at the Encore Theater on Saturday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m., will feature the presentation of the first Jan Mohr Award for Excellence. It will go to a member of Couture’s retail community who embodies Mohr’s patience and kindness.
Mohr retired last year after 26 years as the show’s retailer liaison. She died in December 2025 a few months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Mohr’s daughter Madelyn will assume her role as the “Vanna White” of the Couture Design Awards.
— This year’s awards ceremony will mark the 10th anniversary of Cindy Edelstein’s passing. Edelstein’s daughter Remy will be in attendance.
— Couture has partnered with Jewelers for Children with the goal of raising $25,000 during the design awards and throughout the show.
The funds raised will go to one of JFC’s partners, the Ticket to Dream Foundation, which is dedicated to giving hope and opportunities to foster kids nationwide.
— Belonging @ Couture will welcome its third cohort of mentees into the designer mentorship program. The seven designers will exhibit in Salon 634 in the Cristal (primary) ballroom as “Iridescence by Couture.”
— Through Couture’s partnership with Time to Watches, 12 new brands will join the show’s long-standing roster of watch exhibitors. They will exhibit in the Cristal ballroom.
More details will be finalized in the coming days, and a full schedule of events will be released on the Couture website.
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